Journal of Theory & Practice in Curriculum

The Professors’s professional experience in relation to effective teaching phenomen in higher education

Abstract: The main purpose of the present study was to gain insights into effective teaching in higher education as a phenomenon. Using professional experiences of university faculty, we wanted to develop a conceptual framework in order to enhance the pedagogical and theoretical foundations of teaching.using phenomenography, which is one of the qualitative strategies we interviewed 12 Faculty from University of Kurdistan. Participants were selected using typical sampling until we research theoretical saturation while conducting deep and semi-structured interview. Using inductive procedure, we coded the data in three steps of open, axial, and pattern coding. The finding showed that effective teaching had four main dimensions according to participating faculty: (1) Communicative skills, (2) learner and instructor characteristics, (3) pedagogical skills, and (4) background factors. Comparing the existing literature, we argue that learner characteristics and background factors are new ideas in effective teaching.

Homeschooling: An Alternative School Choice

Abstract: The aim of this study was to explore the situation of homeschooling in Iranian system of education. The results of this study derived from a qualitative research performed in 2012. The research population was selected by snowball method. The participants were interviewed. The interviews were semi-structured. The concepts in each interview were extracted. The study showed that all parents in the sample come from middle and upper-middle class of the Iranian society and are highly educated. Participants’ involvement in the education of their children and risk-taking in this regard was high. They didn’t have a positive view toward the formal system of education, but their decision for homeschooling their children were mostly educational, not ideological. They consider the formal system of education as a unilateral system, which destroys the creativity of children, merely emphasizes memorization, and neglects some subject like sport, English language, music and arts. According to them, school is a closed space where everybody should take a seat, just listen and hide their real personality. The Iranian homeschooling method is not limited to the textbooks and carries on mostly in natural space. It is mainly based on short-term skills, is not time-bounded and is flexible like its global counterparts. The findings show that this kind of education has increased parents’ relationship with themselves and their children. Their children are self-adjusted and independent in learning. However, because of the novelty of this kind of education, and its non-legal state, it is not accepted by the society at this stage. Occasionally, the homeschooling children and their parents confront several different challenges including mocking, anxiety about the future of their children etc.

Mutual expectations of the Education System and the Academic Community of Curriculum Studies: A Discussion on the Improvement of the Professional Status of Curriculum Studies Graduates in Iran

Abstract: The crisis of identity has been coupled with the field of curriculum studies. Despite the considerable quantitative expansion that the field has experienced in recent decade the academic borders are not yet clear and concise. Such indeterminacy, although is uncomforting at times, but it can be made into an opportunity providing the bedrock for creative suggestion of new accounts and pluralism with respect to identity. In this article the behavior of the administrators of the education system with reference to the deployment of curriculum knowledge in setting the stage for proper decision making has been made subject to criticism. The author emphasizes that such treatment is not justified even at the time of such identity crisis and that the graduates can offer worthwhile contributions to policymakers. What follows, then, is an explanation of the expectation that administrators could have from the scholars and specialists of the field. This expectation is expressed within the fundamental responsibility of the academic community to renew the educational programs defined for preparing future specialists. The point is that by attending to such professional responsibility, the crises of identity could be resolved (or ameliorated) and specialists with a more pronounce professional identity could be made available to policymakers. At the end, what is referred to as the map for plural identity has been suggested which identifies the spectrum of identity options available to curriculum specialists. An exemplary framework for a doctoral program consistent with the map is also attached to the article.

Investigating detailed educational aims Preschool in Iranian National Curriculum upon Islamic Theory of Action

Abstract: This researchr examines educational aims and goals of preschool stage in Iranian national curriculum. This examination is based on Islamic theory of action in childhood and carried out by using conceptual and comparative analysis methods. In a holistic view, it seems that these aims encounter 4 challenges. The first challenge is related to psychological requirements of children during their maturation. The second one is about the vagueness of its value hierarchies. The third challenge is the ambiguity of terms and vocabularies. Disorder in defining the aims is another challenge. It is important to note that some of these aims may overlap each other. In this regard some modifications have been done. Comparative analysis of the national curriculum aims indicates that these aims can be settled in 4 categories. The first group includes those aims which are concordant with the correspond ones in Islamic theory of action. These aims are appropriate. The second and third classes consist of those aims which have essential or inessential oppositions to Islamic theory of action. Upon our investigation, we propose that these aims should be modified or omitted. The last one includes those aims that are neglected in this document. In this case, we suggest some new aims.

Explaining the theoretical framework and the components of research comprehensive approach and designing its general elements in the school curriculum

Atieh Hosseini Yazdi

Abstract: An effective research requires the initialization of knowledge, positive affect and research action in the researcher as well as the initialization of research comprehensive attitude. The present study was conducted using descriptive-analytical method based on analyzing the concepts and re-processing the results of previous research. Based on this, theoretical and research background related to the realization of research comprehensive attitude were analyzed and three cognitive, emotional and functional dimensions of the mentioned theoretical framework along with the proposed components were organized in a clear dimensions and statements. At the end, a sample structure was presented in designing the general elements of school curriculum in order to realize research comprehensive approach.

Internal and external research methodologies relevant to the curriculum in higher education

Abstract: Curriculum has always been the main element in any educational system and a relatively large number of research has been carried out in this area. Using quantitative approach and document content analysis, this study investigates the methodologies applied in research on higher education curriculum. Among the existing literature, 30 studies from 13 journals that were carried out by Iranian researchers, and 30 studies from 14 credible journals carried out by foreign scholars were selected through purposeful sampling, and subsequently analyzed. The results reveal that in foreign studies on curriculum, qualitative approach was dominant, employed in sixty percent of the studies. Within this portion, case studies and phenomenological approach with %50 and 37.5% were used most by the researchers. The study also found that quantitative approach was the dominant approach applied in Iranian studies (fifty percent), among which survey methodology was the most widely used (%85.8). Moreover, this study indicates that both Iranian and foreign research are moving from quantitative to qualitative and mixed research, although this trend is stronger in foreign research.

Integrated approach in primary school physical education curriculum: a possible explanation of the expert's view

Abstract: The objective of this research was to study the feasibility of integrative approach in physical education course at the elementary level from the point of view of experts. The researchers used descriptive survey method for this study. The statistical population consisted of physical education experts majoring in curriculum development or management and planning who were familiar with physical education courses of public universities in Tehran. The research data was collected by a researcher-made questionnaire. Data was collected through both T-solo and linear-algorithm sample statistical methods. Results through T-solo sample showed that in terms of professionals who set the objectives, selection of content and coherence of learning experiences was meaningful in integrated delivery of physical education curriculum. Results through linear-algorithm method showed that experts' opinion was significantly correlated to their gender and attitude towards integrated physical education curriculum. Also there was significant variation regarding the experts' years of experience. In addition, there was no significant correlation between these three factors, i.e. gender, attitude towards integrated curriculum and teaching experience. According to the findings of this study, the experts agreed that development of an integrated physical education curriculum was feasible if curriculum development elements were taken into consideration. In terms of gender and attitude towards an integrated curriculum, experts agreed that development of an integrated physical education curriculum was feasible. In terms of teaching experience and background, and interrelation between these three factors there is difference of viewpoint among experts.